Books by Brozo, Pirie, Tatum, and Smith and Wilhelm

Here are a few good books on this issue's theme―Boys and Reading:

To Be a Boy, To Be a Reader: Engaging Teen and Preteen Boys in Active Literacy, by William G. Brozo (International Reading Association, Newark, DE, 2002).

William Brozo cites compelling evidence and research that says the time has come for paying special attention to the literacy needs of adolescent boys. By introducing them to just the right books as entry points into literacy, he believes we can spark a "lifestyle of habitual reading." Brozo advocates books whose characters represent positive male archetypes through which readers can identify with their own and other masculine identities. Based on Jungian theory, the following 10 archetypes are featured: Pilgrim, Patriarch, King, Warrior, Magician, Wildman, Healer, Prophet, Trickster, and Lover. Suggested adolescent novels and informational books are included along with strategies for using each archetype. Vignettes and student writing samples from English, reading, science, and history classes demonstrate how using books with positive male archetypes can increase boys' motivation, inspiration, and passion to read. The book also includes detailed descriptions of "The Real Men Unit" and examples of successful community partnerships for fostering reading. The appendix groups 300 titles of adolescent novels, informational books, and easier books by archetype.

Teenage Boys and High School English, by Bruce Pirie (Boynton/Cook Publishers, Portsmouth, NH, 2002)

English teacher and author Bruce Pirie challenges educators to address the difficulties of boys in English classes with the energy and commitment akin to that spent on the problems of girls and math. Pirie acknowledges biological explanations for sex differences in language abilities, but moves away from that to stress the cultural factors involved in shaping boys' and girls' attitudes. Emphasizing that recent research shows that the brain can grow and change in response to the environment, Pirie shares strategies he has used to engage all students, particularly males. Some key topics include "boys have feelings too," "engaging the joker," and "emotion talk." Two golden rules for dealing with boys and feelings are called the "double D's"―delay and deflect. Pirie shows how he demystifies the "secrets" of reading, writing, speaking, and listening by "unpacking" these processes and making them explicit for his students. The thoughtful commentaries on well-researched theory and its application will help readers better understand the learning preferences and potential of teenage boys.

Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males: Closing the Achievement Gap, by Alfred Tatum (Stenhouse, Portland, ME, 2005)

Alfred Tatum writes with passion, sharing his own experiences as a black male who learned to read amid turmoil. Although research-based reading strategies may be the same for all students, he argues that it is how students are taught and in what contexts that make the difference. The book explores the roots and present condition of black male turmoil. Tatum offers a framework for planning culturally responsive literacy instruction that extends far beyond a skill-and-strategy approach. This framework features theoretical, instructional, and professional development strands that combine to create classrooms that are "nesting grounds where the literacy of black adolescent males can flourish." Acknowledging that there is no simple solution, Tatum also provides guidelines to help teachers become empowered by doing their own reflection and inquiry.

"Reading Don't Fix No Chevys": Literacy in the Lives of Young Men, by Michael W. Smith and Jeffrey D. Wilhelm (Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH, 2002)

This books shares data and insights from Michael Smith and Jeffrey Wilhelm's in-depth study of the role of literacy in the lives of a diverse sample of 49 adolescent males. They discovered how boys experience what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi refers to as "flow," or being totally absorbed in an activity. Seldom did the boys experience this total engagement with school literacy, but they were passionate about their out-of-school literacy and activities. Smith and Wilhelm describe in detail "what boys like to do and why they like to do it" and discuss the instructional implications. Their findings show that boys are attracted to literacy activities that offer them a sense of competence, an appropriate challenge, clear goals, immediate feedback, a focus on immediate experience, and opportunities to be social. The authors' research on gender and literacy and their specific suggestions for creating inquiry-based classrooms could help transform teaching in powerful ways that will benefit all students.

Going with the Flow: How to Engage Boys (and Girls) in Their Literacy Learning, by Michael W. Smith and Jeffrey D. Wilhelm (Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH, 2006)

In Going with the Flow, Michael Smith and Jeffrey Wilhelm first review key findings from the study that informed their "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys." They continue to use adolescent boys' own words to illustrate how males experience "flow," or times of total enjoyment and engagement. The authors provide a guide for instruction that incorporates the key elements important for flow. A model unit features a framework that can be transferred to other teaching situations. The authors show how to use backwards planning, compose guiding questions, and reframe standards for designing inquiry units. There are also instructional strategies for maximizing social relationships and making reading visible and sharable. A chapter on writing advises teachers on what not to do, followed by alternatives. The book's conclusion considers what it means to teach in the time of No Child Left Behind. A compelling discussion on defining highly qualified teachers shares a "contract to care" based on students' comments.

Sheila Cantlebary is a reading content specialist at the Ohio Resource Center. As a former teacher in Columbus Public Schools, she taught English, language arts, and reading (7-12), served as a K-12 English language arts coordinator, and was a teacher in the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow program. Her teaching experience also includes facilitating State Institute for Reading Instruction and English Language Arts Academy sessions. She is currently co-facilitator of the High School Language Arts Network sponsored by the Central Ohio Regional School Improvement Team.

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